Many people don’t know of this great American author called Philip K. Dick. He was a short story writer and wrote quite a few pieces, that eventually were the source of great movies like Total Recall, Blade Runner, Minority Report, etc.  All these movies are more than just your advance sci-fi or fast forwarded a few years type of movie. These are extremely iconic and cult movies, conveying a deeper message than we realize/comprehend. The movie is based on Philip K. Dick’s novel “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?”

I had not seen Blade Runner – until perhaps 1984/85, did not understand it much then. Only when I saw it again during my college days, did I really enjoy the film. 25 Years after original came out, Director Ridley Scott (Wiki – IMDB) came out with the Director’s cut, which he aptly titled “Blade Runner:  The Final Cut”.

Blade Runner: The Final Cut (Director Ridley Scott).

Here is Ridley Scott’s interview in Wired Magazine and his full transcript of the interview.

Here is the original  1982 trailer for it (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPcZHjKJBnE)

Here is the 2007 trailer for the Final Cut (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPf5g-EPQSM)

The IMDB Page Entry is here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083658/

Movie is Rated: R – Playtime: 117 Minutes

Year: 1982 (Original) – 2007 (Director’s Cut)

Wiki: Blade Runner

Official Website: http://bladerunnerthemovie.warnerbros.com/

Verdict: One of those movies you had to see before you die.

Summary:

The film is set in 2019 (not far away eh!) in where else but Los Angeles, where genetically engineered organic robots called replicants that are visually indistinguishable from adult humans are manufactured by the all-powerful Tyrell Corporation as well as other mega manufacturers around the world.

Replicant are NOT allowed on Earth. They are banned. Most of the replicants are used for dangerous, laborious or leisure work off Earth – called “off-world colonies”

Replicants who defy the ban of them being on Earth are hunted down and ‘retired’ by a special forces group called “Blade Runners”.

The plot of the movie is for a burnt-out expert blade runner “Rick Deckard” who agrees to take on one more assignment to see and retire the four replicants who are on Earth – these Nexus-6 models are very advanced but have only a 4 year lifespan and hence they are on Earth to try to expand their lifespan.

Harrison Ford (Wiki – IMDB) plays the role of Deckard – the blade runner. It is a very young Harrison Ford with amazing acting. Assisting Deckard from the Tyrell Corporation is Tyrell’s assistant Rachael (played by Sean Young – Wiki – IMDB). Rachael is an experimental replicant who believes she is human. Rachael’s childhood memories are those of Tyrell’s niece.

Deckard and Rachael form a relationship during the movie (wouldn’t be any good to have a movie where there is indistinguishable love between a human and a replicant).

Roy Batty is the one of the four bad-ass replicants on the loose on Earth that the blade runner has to catch. Played by Rutger Hauer (Wiki – IMDB), he is a cold, Aryan, flawless bad-ass replicant.

Pris is Batty’s partner – she is also a replicant – a pleasure model – which is done to show the human side of the replicants and their need for pleasure, etc. Pris is played out by again a very young Daryl Hannah (Wiki – IMDB).

The movie is a great iconic movie – imagine writing a book like this in the 60s and making a movie out of it – in 1992 it still captures our imagination to date.

Movie Poster

Salt the movie was on my list, especially since I just love the whole spy thingy. I had seen the trailers, and read reviews and just could not wait for this movie to come out. Needless to say, I was not disappointed. The movie is damn entertaining and if you’re feeling bored, this is a pick-me-upper for sure!

Here is the official trailer for it (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZ40WlshNwU)

Here is another trailer for the movie:

The IMDB Page Entry is here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0944835/

Movie is Rated: PG-13 – Playtime: 100 Minutes

Year: 2010

Wiki: Salt (Film)

Official Website: http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/salt/

Verdict: Fast paced, entertaining, how can you not watch this film. What are you waiting for – go get it!

Summary: Evelyn Salt is a CIA Agent (played by Angelina Jolie – Wiki – IMDB). Her boss is Ted Winter (played by Liev Schrieber – Wiki – IMDB). They are about to leave for the day, when a ‘walker’ comes in and defects. The walker says, “A Russian spy will kill the President of Russia in New York City, as the Funeral of the Vice President of the US”.

In short, they think he’s just bullshitting and the interrogation teams tells Agent Salt to wrap it up, and just as Agent Salt is walking out the walker says:

Walker: “Don’t you want to know the name of the Russian spy – the name of the spy is Evelyn Salt”

Agent Salt: “My name is Evelyn Salt”

Walker: “Then you are a Russian spy”

Protocol demands that Agent Salt be brought in for questioning by a counter-espioinage department whose Agent-In-Charge is Agent Peabody (played by Chiwetel Ejiofor – Wiki – IMDB), to determine if she is a mole or a double-agent. Well, you really did not think she was just going to give herself in  - no, if that were to happen, it would be a pretty short movie.

She runs out and then all hell breaks loose. I am not going to spoil it for you – but there is an amazing twist in the end.

Movie Poster

When Martin Scorsese (Wiki – IMDB) makes a movie – you just gotta see it. I had heard about Shutter Island and saw the trailer, could not wait for it to come out on HD so I could watch it. Wow! What a great movie. Albeit I don’t want to give the plot away (you can always read the Wiki page for the spoiler), but this is a fantastic movie.

Here is the official trailer for it (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYVrHkYoY80)

The IMDB Page Entry is here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1130884/

Movie is Rated: R – Playtime: 138 Minutes

Year: 2010

Wiki: Shutter Island

Official Page: http://www.shutterisland.com

Verdict: A MUST watch movie. Truly entertaining.

Summary: Leonardo DiCaprio [Wiki - IMDB] (who play the role of US Marshall Teddy Daniels) and his partner is played by Mark Ruffalo [Wiki - IMDB] (as Chuck Aule) the movie is about two US Marshalls going to this island hospital called Ashecliff Hospital (for the criminally insane) called “Shutter Island” (off Boston Harbor) to investigate a murderess who has gone missing and presumably is on the island. The Head psychiatrist of the hospital is played by Ben Kingsley [Wiki - IMDB] who in the movie is Dr. John Cawley, and there is some superb acting by Max von Sydow [Wiki - IMDB] who plays the role of resident psychiatrist / surgeon Dr. Jeremiah Naehring.

Movie Poster

Rarely does John Travolta  (Wiki – IMDB) make a movie that is not entertaining. From Paris with Love – is perhaps his most entertaining movie to date (after Pulp Fiction and Swordfish). I had not seen a trailer of it – or read up on it – did not even know the cast until the movie switched on.

Here is the official trailer for it (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sLG0owba0E)

The IMDB Page Entry is here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1179034/

Movie is Rated: R – Playtime: 92 Minutes

Year: 2010

Wiki: From Paris With Love

Official Website: http://www.frompariswithlovefilm.com/

Verdict: Bloody Good Movie. MUST SEE!

Summary: Charlie Wax (John Travolta)  is a Special Agent assigned who visits his newly assigned partner James Reece (played by Jonathan Rhys Meyers – Wiki – IMDB) who is the US Ambassador’s Assistant in Paris. The movie is action packed – lots of driving, gun action, and wicked fight scenes. It portrays around a group of Pakistani terrorists operating in Paris who plan something sinister (don’t we always).  Great action and fast paced. You will NOT be disappointed.

This is your popcorn hour movie. Great on the surround sound, and a must watch on the big screen.

Movie Poster

Here is another version of the movie poster…

Here is another movie I had no idea about except that it had Matt Damon (Wiki – IMDB)  and Morgan Freeman (Wiki – IMDB) in it. Had not seen a trailer or read a review. Pure cold play.

Here is the official trailer for it (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZY8c_a_dlQ)

The IMDB Page Entry is here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1057500/

Movie is Rated: PG-13 – Playtime: 134 Minutes

Year: 2009

Wiki: Invictus

Official Website: http://invictusmovie.warnerbros.com/

Verdict: A very moving and powerful movie. Definitely a must see.

Summary: This is a true story of the end of the apartheid in South Africa and Nelson Mandela’s release from prison to becoming the President of South Africa. It has less to do with politics and more to do with the 1995 Rugby World Cup that was held in South Africa and Mandela’s dream to win it – beating the reigning world champions The New Zealand All Blacks (Wiki - Official Page).

The movie is Produced and Directed by Clint Eastwood (Wiki – IMDB).

If you’re in the mood for watching a truly moving movie, this is definitely it. Great acting!

Movie Poster

Recently I saw this movie called “The Uninvited” – I had not picked up the movie, nor knew anything about it- just happened to see it at my friends place.

Here is the official trailer for it (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjGnCa0XYhY)

The IMDB Page Entry is here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0815245/

Movie is Rated: PG-13 – Playtime: 87 Minutes

Year: 2009

Wiki: The Uninvited

Official Website: http://www.uninvitedmovie.com/

Verdict: I loved it!  - Must Watch

Summary: This is a suspense thriller. Whilst I do not want to give the plot away, it is about a young girl being related from a mental hospital and comes back to her father, sister and father’s girl-friend. The mother died. Its about hoe she discovers that her father’s girl-friend is actually her mother’s nurse, and how both the sisters then trace this person and find out – she is not who she really is, and confront her, etc.  This movie is a remake of the original South Korean Horror movie called “A Tale of Two Sisters”

The movie is NOT your typical movie. There is an amazing twist in the end. Really awesome.  Must watch it. I highly recommend that this be watched on the big screen or large TV with a good surround sound.

Movie Poster

Whilst a kid – in 1984 I was watching Top of the Pops in London, and there was this song that some how captivated me. It was a song titled Forbidden Colors (Watch Video) – sung and composed by David Sylvian and Ryuichi Sakamoto. This song was a beautiful one, from the movie called “Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence” (Wiki-Information – IMDB-Entry).

Here is the poster of the movie:

The movie is directed by Nagisa Oshima (Wiki – IMDB) who has done like a billion Japanese films. The main core actors starring in the film are:

– David Bowie as Maj. Jack ‘Strafer’ Celliers (Wiki – IMDB)
– Tom Conti as Col. John Lawrence (Wiki – IMDB)
– Ryuichi Sakamoto as Capt. Yonoi (Wiki – IMDB)
– Takeshi Kitano as Sgt. Gengo Hara (Wiki – IMDB)

Perhaps the most famous snapshot of the movie, the one and only time when Sergeant Hara (Kitano) who is about to be executed for his war crimes in the morning, wishes Colonel John Lawrence (Conti) Merry Christmas by saying loudly: “Lawrence! Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence. Merry Christmas”

and here is the video…

TIME Magazine’s collection of Top 100 Movies of all time.

http://www.time.com/time/2005/100movies/the_complete_list.html